Sweet Hundred Tomatoes

Container gardening is an excellent way to grow Sweet Hundred tomatoes.

The heavy producer, Sweet 100 can be grown successfully in barrels and/or pots. This is an ideal solution for growing the small sized tomato cultivar to save space. Place the containers on wheeled platforms for greater mobility. Do not be fooled by the fruit's small stature, at the opposite end of the scale of record breaking monster size tomatoes, these sweet petite fruits pack a juicy punch in every bite.

how to Plant

Plant your Sweet Hundred cherry tomato plants where they will receive an average six hours of sunlight per day. The plants should be planted at least 3 feet apart. Water immediately after planting.

Soil

Tomatoes require moderately fertile clay or sandy loam with proper drainage and a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.8. Most tomatoes prefer a soil temperature of 70- 80 degrees. The preferred daytime temperature is 65-80 degrees.

To Stake or sprawl

Tomato cages were already in use in the 19th century and remain about the best culture method to date. One study found single plants in cages yielded up to 62 pounds of fruit! Barring cages, old timers still believe it's best to simply allow plants to sprawl. Although not as productive, sprawling vines still produce about twice as many tomatoes as staked plants. However, it may be a trade off because the harvest season is typically earlier yet shorter lived when fruits are allowed freedom to roam.

Horse, chicken, rabbit, and sheep manures are said to be the best fertilizers for cultivating tomatoes. Sweet Hundred tomatoes prefer regular feeding once the fruit sets. Use time release fertilizer at planting time.

Pruning

Use your fingers to snap off suckers, the sprouts that grow between the main stem and the leaf axis. If you need scissors or pruning shears to do the job, you are waiting too long to prune.

Care

It is a good idea to use mulch around your Sweet Hundred tomato plants to prevent the backsplash from wet soil. Mulching also ensures an even amount of moisture. This type of tomato plants is fairly tolerant of beginners. Provide them with plenty of sunshine and support such as staking if necessary and they will reward you with a bountiful harvest.

Water the plants using soaker hoses if possible to prevent foliage from getting wet. Watering twice weekly should suffice initially. Increase to every other day during dry periods.

Harvest

It is generally 70 days to harvest from planting. Small-fruited cultivars mature fastest. Harvesting may begin when tomatoes start to show color. On the other hand, the longer the fruit remains on the vine, the sweeter the flavor will be. The fruits are produced in abundance. Use them whole in fresh garden salads or feel like a kid again just popping a few straight into your mouth!

Sweet Hundred cherry tomatoes kept in a 1 gallon pot, typically will grow about a foot tall and produce around 30 tomatoes. In the garden, the plants may reach upwards of 8 feet high. Depending on conditions, you should be able to harvest hundreds of cherry tomatoes. Tomatoes should be eaten as soon after picking as possible because sugar decreases in storage. Super Sweet Hundred can produce 1000s of cherry tomatoes and reach 15 feet tall!

Go to Growing-cherry-tomatoes from Sweet Hundred Tomatoes